


Show Me You're A Gentleman

by negickapologist (neganstonguething)



Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: AU, Anal Sex, Fingering, M/M, fite me, long oneshot, slight AU, unrealistic post apocalyptic date options
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-11
Updated: 2017-06-11
Packaged: 2018-11-12 18:17:52
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,373
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11167404
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/neganstonguething/pseuds/negickapologist
Summary: In which Simon wins a bet, Negan gets a date, and Rick gets a different perspective. Oneshot, PWP





	Show Me You're A Gentleman

**Author's Note:**

> For imbadcode on Tumblr. They requested a fic where Negan takes Rick out on a date, which leads to Rick gradually warming up to Negan and also some gratuitous smut.
> 
> This thing was NOT supposed to be nearly 10k words long. But it was fun! Hope you like it!

A couple of months ago, Negan would have never imagined he was going to go through with something like this. But here he is, waiting for Rick to finish showering or shitting or what-the-fuck-ever else he could be doing in his bathroom so that he can ask the guy out on a date.

It all started with Simon opening his big mouth and supposedly taking it upon himself to make things more interesting than they already have been.

_It’s as Negan and Simon are leaving Alexandria after a just-for-the-fuck-of-it visit that Negan’s right hand man speaks up. Negan’s kind of been expecting it to happen ever since about halfway through this visit, when Simon got to be present during one of Negan’s private talks with Rick._

_“So are you guys banging it out yet, or is it still just tension?” Simon asks bluntly._

_Frankly, it should be both, and there have been plenty of instances where Negan had been sure it was going to become both, but for now, it’s just raw chemistry and a lot of lingering silences and pointed stares._

_A ton of them. Negan doesn’t know what’s going on in Rick’s head when it happens, but he really doesn’t understand how Rick can hold such a stare like he always does without caving in and fucking the heat right out of the room with Negan. Negan can’t count the number of times he’s debated giving in and making Rick his in the physical sense. He’s mostly convinced Rick would reciprocate even if it’s just on a strictly physical basis._

_But it’s there. Goddamn it, the tension is there._

_“…That obvious?” Negan snorts._

_“Oh, yeah.” Simon comes back. “I mean, I dunno about you, but that guy looks at you with this weird mix of bloodlust and actual physical lust that he probably doesn’t know the damn difference. Still, if you guys haven’t at least fucked once, I’d be genuinely surprised.”_

_Negan shrugs. “Be genuinely fucking surprised, then.”_

_“…No shit?” True to his word, Simon is indeed shocked._

_“Yep.” Negan repeats his shrug. “At least, for now.”_

_“…So you want to.” Simon gathers._

_“You bet your cheesy-as-fuck mustache, I do.”_

_Simon only momentarily looks wounded by Negan’s comment, before he speaks up again. “Okay, so why haven’t you done anything yet?”_

_Negan shrugs. “Great fucking idea, in theory. Except I’m still trying to decide if the guy will go for it.”_

_Simon frowns so deeply that his eyes appear momentarily to fuse with his forehead. “I don’t recall you having this much trouble with your wives.”_

_“That’s because they’re in a totally different fucking situation.” Negan counters with surprising seriousness in his voice. “None of them were community leaders who threatened me with my life. At this point, the girls and I are happy with our arrangement. Rick might be a totally different goddamned ballgame.”_

_“Keyword there, buddy: might.” Simon’s tone is simple and straightforward. “You want to bone the guy, you actually have to try. Can’t know what he thinks if you don’t do shit about it.”_

_“You think I don’t know that?” Negan shakes his head. “I’m just waiting for the right time to fucking strike.”_

_“…Which is…?” Simon smirks challengingly, his eyebrows raised._

_It’s when Negan can’t immediately come up with an answer that he knows Simon has won this one. He scowls in defeat and shoots his buddy a glare as Simon’s smirk grows more pronounced._

_“You know,” Simon starts, his tone teasing, “for a guy who prides himself on being suave and attractive you sure are having a problem right now.” When Negan flips him off, he continues. “I’ll make you a bet—a little incentive, if you will.”_

_Negan still doesn’t respond. He just cocks an eyebrow._

_“You go ask your boy crush on a date.” Simon says. “My bet is, he’ll say yes.”_

_“If he does?” Negan questions, curiosity starting to get to him. Simon always knows how to make things interesting._

_“If he does,” Simon thinks aloud, “I get to be big cheese for a week. I don’t give a fuck what you do while I’m running the Sanctuary, but it’s mine for a week.”_

_Negan actually spends a great deal of time pondering that wager, but soon enough, he brings his attention back to Simon. “You got yourself a deal, buddy. And if he says no, you have to go be Gregory’s personal assistant for a week. Deal?”_

_Negan knows all too well that Simon is only going to accept that kind of bet if he’s mostly certain he’s going to win, so he finds himself hopeful when Simon grins and juts out a hand, that he might actually be getting himself this date._

_“Deal. Enjoy your night out, Boss.”_

The thing is, even if Simon had been one hundred percent convinced he was going to win this bet, Negan would have still accepted. If there’s one guy he trusts to keep the Sanctuary in check, it’s Simon. There’s a reason he considers the guy his right hand man. So even if Rick does accept, Negan knows he’ll come back to a Sanctuary that’s no worse off than it was a week ago.

Negan’s excited by the potential approval Rick is going to give him, but a part of him is a little saddened by how unlikely it is that Simon will be stuck with Gregory for a week. He knows how fun Simon thinks it is to make the Hilltop leader uncomfortable, but to be at his beck and call for a week, that would be some primo shit to see, because even Simon’s easygoing demeanor might grow a little fragile under that kind of pressure.

But honestly, Negan is looking at a potential hookup with Rick, which could be infinitely better than any bet-induced embarrassment placed upon Simon. On top of that, it’s actually going to be pretty fucking nice to be able to sit out all the responsibilities running the Sanctuary has incurred. Negan fully expects Simon to be plenty tuckered out and fed the fuck up with playing the boss by the time Negan gets his role back.

…Shit. Look at Negan, already convincing himself that Rick is going to give him what he wants. He supposes Simon was right about giving him plenty of incentive. That mustachioed motherfucker…what would Negan do without him?

Rick finally arrives downstairs, in the middle of shrugging a light brown polo shirt over his shoulders. Negan greedily takes in the sight of his abdomen before he slides the shirt on over it. Either way, once Rick sees Negan waiting for him on the couch, his expression steels. Despite that, he makes his way into the living room to address his visitor.

“What’re you here for?” Rick asks and Negan can tell he’s trying to control his expression, likely in hopes of avoiding any negative consequences.

“Good as shit to see you too, Rick.” Negan quips, taking a sip of the lemonade Carl has prepared for him. “I take it your boy didn’t tell you who was waiting for you.”

Rick shakes his head. “He just said I had a visitor. Probably figured I knew it was gonna be you.”

“Did you?”

“I wondered.” Rick shrugs. He seems to be calming a bit as he sees that Negan isn’t moving from his spot on the couch. Intimidation isn’t his game today. In fact, he wants Rick to feel as little like he has to accept Negan’s proposal as possible today. None of that nonconsensual bullshit. “But you still haven’t answered my question. I know even you wouldn’t try and collect two days after doin’ so before.”

Negan’s intent has never been to be all business with Rick and his people. If he had his way, it’d be more fun than that, and people would all get along. But even relationships with Hilltop and the Kingdom are strained at best, and Alexandria—not necessarily Rick so much as his people—has been a tough one to get through to. Maybe Negan has been a bit harsh with them all, but it’s all about checks and balances. He is really just doing what it takes to keep everything in working order.

Maybe one day, he can lighten the workload a bit and people can start getting along, but for now, it’s about making sure everyone knows where they stand. At present, that’s under Negan’s leadership, giving him half of everything they find or produce.

“Nope, I’m not collecting.” Negan replies, nodding toward the front door. “You can rest assured, my Saviors are out there in their best fucking behavior, not taking a damn thing. I’ve actually come to ask something of you specifically.”

Rick frowns, waiting for Negan to continue, so he does just that.

“See, the thing is, I’d like to take you out—show you a real fucking good time. Just you and me, Rick, making sparks together.”

The silence that follows Negan’s words is so thick that he could probably touch it if he wanted to. It takes Rick nearly thirty seconds to formulate a proper response.

“…Like a date.” He observes aloud, and Negan nods in approval.

“ _Exactly_ like a date.” He answers. “You can say no, but if you say yes, I can promise you won’t fucking regret it. I’ll show you around back home and let you see all the cool shit we have to offer there. You get bored? I’ll bring your ass back home, no questions asked.”

“…What’s the catch?” Understandably, Rick doesn’t seem convinced. Negan gets it. In this guy’s book, he’s the enemy.

“There is none.” Negan responds, raising both hands in surrender. Lucille is perched on the couch next to him, out of his hands. “I know I’m an asshole and basically public enemy number one to you and your people, but I’m dead fucking serious here, Rick. I just want to take you out Nothing more.”

Rick shakes his head and takes a seat on the armchair, not far from the couch. “But _why_?”

Rick poses yet another not-totally-unfounded question. While Negan himself knows full well just how hard he’s crushing on Rick, the Alexandria leader himself has probably just seen red. Negan has made it pretty clear how hard he’s laying down the law, and Rick probably doesn’t anticipate there being time for feelings among all of that.

Oh, how wrong one guy can be.

“Why else?” Negan shrugs. Frankly, he’s a little impressed Rick doesn’t already know. He’s been making it pretty obvious from the getgo. “Tell me, Rick—why do people usually ask other people on dates?”

“We’re supposed to be enemies.” Rick frowns. “This isn’t a fairytale.”

“Who says we’re supposed to be anything?” Negan raises both eyebrows in curiosity.

Rick looks like Negan just asked him why the sky is blue. They both, in fact, know the sky is not actually blue. Not the point, though. The point is, apparently Negan’s gone off and asked a stupid question.

“…Are you shitting me?” Rick finally asks. “Negan—you’ve got my family in an iron vice over here.”

Negan sighs. “Okay, fair enough. But that doesn’t mean we have to be enemies. Honestly, the shit you’re in doesn’t fucking have to be permanent, and that’s not a condition for accepting my offer. I don’t want to be the big asshole everyone is afraid to be around all the goddamn time. Just…bear with me, alright?”

He doesn’t expect Rick to concede there, but he appreciates that the other man lets it go for the time being.

“So…this date.” Rick finally answers. “That’s all it is?”

“Yep.” Negan smiles. “It’s got jack fucking shit to do with anyone’s situation. I’m attracted to you, got a feeling you’re attracted to me, and I want to explore that. That’s all.”

Rick appears to be thinking deeply about it, but soon enough, he releases a sigh and offers Negan a nod. “…Can’t believe I’m agreein’ to this.”

 - - - - -

The good thing about the Sanctuary being as well-running and highly-populated as it is is that it has plenty to offer as a result. Most of the recreational benefits are still a work in progress, but there’s a reason Negan chose his own home as the place to show Rick a good time—he knows there’s a lot to do.

Honestly, it’s going to be nice as fuck to not be the boss for a week. And the date Negan’s managed to drag Rick along on will hopefully provide Rick himself with a chance to…well, not be the leader for a day. Negan might be the main cause for most of Rick’s current stresses, but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t think the guy deserves a break.

Besides, there’s a possibility something good could come of this. Negan actually does want to get to know Rick. He wants to see what makes the guy tick, and what he does for fun. This isn’t just sexual attraction, and Hell, maybe _that’s_ why it took Simon’s persuasion to get him to do anything. Rick’s right when he says their situations collide, and Negan actually really doesn’t want to fuck this up.

His attraction to Rick doesn’t feel like anything Negan has ever felt before.

Except maybe for Lucille.

A glance in Rick’s direction as they step out of the truck reminds Negan that he hasn’t been to the Sanctuary before. Those pale blue eyes are sucking in the scenery before him, and Negan can’t help but grin from the sideline.

“Pretty damn cool, huh?”

“It’s a factory.” Rick deadpans. “Not what I was expectin’, but somehow, it fits.”

Negan scoffs. “Your kid never told you what it looked like here?”

Rick shakes his head. “Guess it never came up.”

Which is kind of a surprise to Negan. He’d figured Carl would be chomping at the bit to divulge the layout of the Sanctuary to his father. Negan’s got reason to suspect Alexandria doesn’t plan on playing nice forever, after all. He’s not going to tell Rick that, though.

“Huh.” Negan snorts. “Either way I’ve got a cool as fuck time to offer you, Rick. Just focus on relaxing, alright?”

Rick frowns, but shrugs despite himself. “What’re we gonna do?”

Negan grins. “Ever play ping pong?”

\- - - - -

As it turns out, the answer to that question is no. Negan has to do a little teaching on the game, but Rick is observant and picks up the rules quickly enough. Negan offers him a few practice rounds before they get started.

No big deal there, because it gives Negan a chance to observe the man playing across the table from him. Rick is focused and perceptive, and Negan isn’t sure if it’s raw talent or the years shooting the undead have offered in terms of practice, but Rick is _good_ right away, and Negan already knows he’s going to reach _great_ soon.

At present, he has yet to crack a smile, but the fact that he’s so willingly playing some ping pong with Negan says something about how things are going. He’s not going to be frigid and difficult to talk to all day. He’s just still trying to relax. Considering the way he views Negan, that’s saying something.

“Alright, I think you fucking got it.” Negan half-praises as he prepares to serve. “You ready for the real thing?”

Rick raises an eyebrow. “You scared I might beat you at your own sport?”

“Not a chance.” Negan scoffs. “You’re picking it up damn fast, but I’ve been at this for years. You’re not beating me at _shit_.”

“Serve the ball, Negan.” Rick says bluntly.

And like that, the game is on. Negan starts off slow, enjoying the way Rick somehow manages to volley each swing back across the table to him. He gives it a good twenty seconds, before he really kicks into gear, swinging back a little harder.

Rick is a little surprised, but Negan is yet again impressed by his quick thinking. It takes three more, faster cycles before Negan finally sends the little plastic ball whizzing past Rick’s head.

“You’re kicking ass for a beginner.” Negan says as Rick retrieves the ball. He’s met with a cold stare.

“Guess I’ve got good aim. Blame it on my days in the force.”

“The force?” Negan grins incredulously. “Were you a cop before all this?”

“Sheriff’s deputy.” Rick answers. “My partner and I used to shoot at the range a lot. Not the same as aimin’ with a paddle, but my reaction time is still pretty good from those days.”

“You always find some way to be even more badass, don’t you?” Negan genuinely laughs, and when he does so, he sees Rick relax a little more. It occurs to him that this man has never heard him be anything other than the intimidating leader he felt he has had to be. He feels himself soften a little at the thought alone.

“I dunno what exactly you were expectin’.” Rick matches his laugh, and the tension in the room thins out somewhat. “I’m just a guy, Negan.”

Negan doesn’t remember exactly when they started playing, but their game lasts hours. Negan is winning, having been far more practiced than Rick, but it’s impressive how well Rick is managing to keep up. Negan doesn’t put a stop to their game, even when he’s taken quite the lead. The only thing that stops them is Simon’s presence. Negan hears him laugh, loses a point, and turns to face him.

“So I won, then.” Simon observes.

“Won?” Rick questions.

“Yeah.” Negan’s been done with dishonesty since his Lucille days, so he’s got no problem telling Rick about his and Simon’s wager. “This guy’s the reason I worked up the gonads to ask you out.”

When Rick casts a glance to Simon, he shrugs matter-of-factly. “I saw you two eye-sexing each other the other day and made a bet with the boss here to get things moving.”

Rick frowns, but doesn’t say anything.

“Simon here said that if you said yes, which he thought you would, he would get to run the Sanctuary for a week.” Negan explains. “And if you said no, he had to spend a week obeying Gregory.”

“You thought I’d say no?” Rick actually looks impressed. He’s surprisingly not offended about being the subject of a bet.

“I had no fucking clue what you were gonna say.” Negan replies honestly.

“Negan thinks he’s a big badass,” Simon adds, “but he’s actually a softie.”

Negan flips him off. “What the fuck ever. Go run the Sanctuary and leave me to my date.”

Simon doesn’t seem to mind. He just flashes Negan a mustachioed grin, turns, and disappears out the door.

When Negan faces Rick again, he’s met with a grin on the other’s face.

“You were afraid to ask me out?”

“Why wouldn’t I be?” Negan tries to mask the embarrassment on his face, but to no avail. “You look at me like you want to kill me half the time.”

“I do.” Rick answers plainly. “Half the time.”

“…And the other half?”

“Not sure, really.”

Somehow, Negan believes him. Either way, he shrugs. “…You hungry?”

 - - - - -

The Sanctuary is no five-star restaurant, but they definitely have a decent selection of foods to eat. Negan directs Rick to the living room upstairs, where his wives spend their time. He’s used some of Simon’s points to order them a meal, and while it’s being prepared, he decides to introduce Rick to the ladies in his life.

The thing is, Negan values his wives. They aren’t just objects to him. They have every right to get to know Negan’s date as Negan himself does. And frankly, if anyone is going to make Rick feel more welcome here, it’ll be them.

“So the wives thing is true, then.” Rick muses as the girls file in.

Negan lets them do the talking for now. Sherry is the first to speak up.

“Very true.” She says it in that soft voice Negan likes so much. “I’m Sherry, and this is Tanya, Frankie, and Amber.” The girls all nod or wave as they’re being introduced. Sherry turns her attention to Negan. “Is this Rick?”

“Damn straight it is.” Negan smirks. He’s told them all plenty of times about Rick—how cool he is, how pretty he is, how much he pisses him off some days. They would probably have sided with Simon if they’d had a role in the bet he and Negan had made. The girls likely know even more about Negan’s interest in Rick than Simon does, which is saying a lot, because Simon got a front row seat view to how things operate between Negan and Rick.

Understandably, they all light up when their suspicions are confirmed. Hell, even Amber seems to be getting excited, which is something Negan takes a lot of relief in seeing. After punishing Mark for what he and Amber had done, the girl had gotten awfully quiet. It’s good to see some life on her face again.

“We’ve heard so much about you.” Tanya starts, her dark eyes wide with curiosity. “Your eyes really are hella blue!”

“Did you just say ‘hella’?” Frankie giggles.

“I just said ‘hella’.” Tanya counters. “It was a fitting moment for the use of the word ‘hella’.”

Frankie shrugs and then brings her focus back to Rick. “So what’re you doing here? Just wanted to see what it was like here?”

Rick shakes his head. Negan isn’t sure if the guy actually likes all the attention he’s getting or not. “I didn’t think much about it. I’m actually here because Negan asked me out.”

Amber pipes up this time. “Holy shit, you actually talked to him about it. Are you guys a _thing_ now?”

Negan never actually told his wives about his interest in Rick. Sure, he bragged about him a lot, but he never outright admitted a crush. This was just something they’ve deduced over time. In their defense, Negan talks about Rick a _lot_.

“Easy, there.” Negan laughs. “Don’t scare him off, girls. It’s just a date for now. I’ll let him decide what comes after.”

Tanya shrugs. “Either way it’s about goddamn time you said something to him.” She then turns her focus to Rick. “What about you? You got it bad for my husband, Rick?”

Negan immediately sees nervousness on Rick’s face, and even though he knows Tanya’s only being her usual, facetious self, he decides to interject. “Okay then.” He says amidst another laugh. “Let’s give the guy some time to process his undoubtedly deep fucking feelings for me, alright?”

Rick kicks Negan in the shin and the girls laugh in unison.

“I like you.” Frankie decides.

Negan allots the girls plenty of time to get to know Rick, and in the process, learns a lot about the man himself. Not surprisingly, Rick is more comfortable talking to them than Negan. It’s like an insight into his life from a different perspective. Rick probably doesn’t believe everything Negan has to say, but he’s more trusting of women he likely initially thought were forced to marry the guy. Negan sees Rick relax a little when Sherry explains that, in some way or another, they all chose to marry him, and they’re all given the choice whether to sleep with him or not.

In any case, the girls ask more questions about Rick than even Negan can say he’s thought about. It proves to be damn informative for everyone there, Rick included. He asks all the girls what they do around here, and if they enjoy it, and in turn, they ask Rick what life in Alexandria is like—what it was like before Rick and his people happened upon Alexandria.

Negan learns that Rick had been shot and slipped into a coma right around the dawn of the infection, and that he and his best friend, wife, and son were lucky to have had the chance to reunite. He learns that the only enemy Rick considered worse than Negan was a man who called himself ‘The Governor’. The almost apologetic look on Rick’s face when their eyes meet tells Negan that this Governor guy must’ve been pretty fucking awful.

He also learns that his wives, for the most part, enjoy being married to him. There are some understandable stipulations, like the situation involving Amber and Mark, and the reason Sherry initially agreed to marry Negan, but they all seem to be unanimous that life isn’t bad with Negan.

In a way, Negan hopes Rick takes that to heart. He doesn’t have to like what Negan does, but it’d sure be nice if he saw that people aren’t miserable around him. In fact, most here at the Sanctuary live a good life. Maybe one day, this could be the same for the other communities.

After a good hour of conversation, however, Negan, Rick, and the four women all have full bellies and Negan and Rick have a date to finish. They both thank the girls for their conversation and head out and down a hallway, toward a flight of stairs.

“So, where to next?” Rick has a little more spring in his step, and Negan takes considerable relief in seeing him look like something other than the uncomfortable motherfucker he almost always acts like around Negan.

“Well,” Negan starts as he directs Rick down the stairs, “we’re working on putting together something of a rec room here at the Sanctuary. Y’know, it’s hot as fuck outside and people are looking for somewhere to cool off or work out or whatever gets their goat.” He descends a second flight, making sure Rick is close by in tow. “We don’t have much yet, but we’ve got a couple things. I’m most excited about the pool.”

Behind him, Rick scoffs. “Were do you get the time to put together a pool in between taking shit from others?”

When Negan stops and stares at Rick, he can see that the other man is just as surprised as he is about what he’d just said. But as Negan watches, he sees that Rick is proceeding to own that shit, his eyes narrowing and expression hardening. He admires that Rick offers no apology—that he’s not being a goddamned baby about it like some of the people Negan knows.

“Well,” Negan shrugs, “I’ve got quite the fucking population going here Rick. Lots of different people with ample skill in basically everything. Just feast your eyes on this shit and prepare to swallow your words like a happy ending down the choke hole.”

He pushes open a door at the very bottom floor that opens into a widespread room. A radio perched atop a black stool blasts classic rock from a mix CD Negan himself found during a run. Nearby is a single bench press and a small array of weights. There’s an exercise bike, a punching bag, and then the pool Negan had been referring to. It’s only recently been installed, so it looks brand new, the water and tile inside glistening invitingly.

“You weren’t kiddin’.” Rick seems to have calmed down from his outburst, but Negan doesn’t blame him. How long has it been since Rick last swam in a real pool? None of that lake bullshit—an actual pool. Even the most loyal of leaders has to turn a blind eye for a second to indulge from time to time.

“Dive in, Rick.” Negan encourages. When Rick just stands there and gapes at him, however, he takes it upon himself to strip first, all the way down to his boxer briefs. He doesn’t wait for Rick to follow him into the water. Instead, he jumps right in. The water is ice cold, so he comes up cursing and screaming, but his body acclimates soon enough. A few choice words later and Negan’s okay.

“Water’s fine, Rick!” Negan invites, treading water and watching the other man continue to stare at him.

“Bullshit!” Rick retorts. “You don’t come up cussin’ if the water’s fine.”

“You’ll adjust.” Negan teases, but Rick still doesn’t obey. Instead, he kicks his shoes off and rolls his pants up, moving to sit on the edge.

“This is all you’re gettin’ from me.”

Negan thinks for a moment, but finally concedes defeat. He swims up close, looking straight into those hypnotic blue eyes. “So…What do you think so far? Date half as terrible as you predicted?”

Rick rolls his eyes. “I never predicted it’d be terrible.”

“Still doesn’t answer the fucking question.”

“I’m havin’ a good time.” Rick answers. “It’s too bad this can’t be the way it is all the time.”

Negan waits for Rick to continue, even though he knows where this is going.

“You’re still gonna demand shit from my people and I when it all ends. This date doesn’t change anything…does it?”

“If I said yes, would you relax a little more?” Negan tries. He really doesn’t want to discuss this right now.

“If you meant it, maybe.”

“Rick.” Negan sighs. “That’s…a lot to fucking ask of me.”

“No different from how much you’re askin’ of me.” Rick deadpans.

The biggest dilemma is that Negan likes Rick a _lot_ , and he wants to eventually have a good rapport with him. He wants Rick to be happy to see him, and he wants the rest of Alexandria to be on board with him too. He also knows they’re trying hard to follow his demands. But can he really ease up for just one community without the others defecting on him?

What Negan has been doing may not be right, but that doesn’t mean putting a stop to it is going to be easy or graceful.

“…What else can you offer the Sanctuary, Rick?” Negan hadn’t been planning on diplomatic relations today, but oh well.

“We can still provide for you.” Rick answers. “Just…let us provide for ourselves first. Please.”

“You’re really serious about this shit, aren’t you?” Negan’s expression falters.

“My people could die.” Rick answers simply.

Negan scowls. “…We’ll figure something out. But for now…” He sees Rick smile and seizes the opportunity while the man is caught off guard. He yanks Rick in by the wrist, cackling when he resurfaces looking something like an angry wet cat.

“No more technical shit.” Negan scolds teasingly. “Today’s supposed to be fun.”

Negan can’t tell if Rick’s angry or actually having a good time. He’s got a smirk on his lips that’s unreadable as he lunges forward and shoves Negan underwater.

The two wrestle like that for half a minute, before Negan resurfaces, laughing. “Now that’s more like it!”

“Shut up.” Rick splashes him. “You’re ruinin’ the moment.”

“Oh?” Negan mocks surprise. “Is there a moment blossoming here? Is this the kiss?”

“Jesus, Negan.” Rick swims back as Negan approaches him, still laughing. “Stop. You’re makin’ this embarrassing.”

“Oh, please.” Negan snorts. “It’s just the two of us.” He does, however, stop his advance on Rick as the smaller man moves to climb out of the pool. Rick runs all the way to the deep end and then dives in. His form ripples underneath the water, and as he draws closer, Negan sees him shed his shirt.

He pops up a couple feet away and launches the shirt at Negan’s face, slapping him dead-on with it. The article is so heavy with water that it knocks Negan right off his feet with a comical sounding ‘oof!’ and he sinks beneath the water.

Now, _this_ is the Rick Negan was hoping he’d get to meet. The guy behind the forced neutrality and cold glares. One day, Negan will know what kind of things Rick likes to do outside of running his home. One day, he’ll be able to drop by and Rick will be happy to see him.

Or, he’s at least going to hope for that much.

For now, Negan comes back up and focuses on chasing Rick across the pool. The little cheat-ass climbs out of the water, and Negan curses him aloud as he too clambers out. The slipper ground sends them both tumbling down onto the concrete, though, and they burst out laughing.

Rick has this hearty laugh that oozes his southern drawl. It rattles in Negan’s eardrums and reverberates along his nerves, making his entire body quiver pleasantly. Is this what Outkast meant when they coined the term ‘eargasm’?

Either way, the laughter eventually ceases and gives way to the exhausted, heavy breathing of the two men in the gym, accompanied by the cadence of the music playing from the CD player.

“I’m supposed to hate you.” Rick chortles breathily. Negan turns his head and sees that the man is still smiling.

“You don’t?”

“I came on this date with you, didn’t I?” Rick points out.

Negan catches himself blinking away shock. “You’re telling me you didn’t hate me before all this fucking date shit?”

“Guess so.” Rick sighs, and Negan watches his gaze flutter up to the ceiling in thought. “I mean, I did at one point. But then, you started showin’ up all the time and followed me around everywhere, and every now and then, you’ve actually got somethin’ decent to say. I suppose this date, goin’ on it with you, was my way of seein’ if you were really not all bad.” He shrugs, looking satisfied. “You heard me out, so I’m definitely not complainin’.”

Negan wants to laugh, but instead, he just offers Rick one of his trademark smirks. “Well, fuck. You are welcome, Rick.”

They fall silent, allowing themselves to catch their breath as the music plays on. The song changes to _Rush_ ’s ‘Tom Sawyer’, and out of the corner of his eye, Negan sees Rick start to move again. They’re both on their backs on the hard gym floor, but Rick’s bobbing his shoulders and grinning to himself.

“…Rick…”

And then he starts singing. Singing and gyrating on the ground to a fucking Rush son in the zombie apocalypse. This fucker is either having a blast or a very musical seizure, and it takes everythingi Negan has in him to keep from laughing.

“Oh my fucking god, Rick—”

“Though his mind is not for rent!” Rick belts, and Negan immediately succumbs to laughter.

“Richard Fucking Grimes.” Negan half-scolds.

“My name’s not Richard.” Rick bellows in his own laughter.

“Stop fucking singing!”

But before either man knows it, they’re both singing along, playing imaginary instruments. They’re sitting cross-legged on the floor, shirtless and smelling like chlorine. Rush shifts to Kansas, and then to Styx, and Rick’s classic rock knowledge seems to be right on par with Negan’s. To Negan, this moment feels like it belongs in an entirely different time. Like the undead aren’t roaming around outside of the Sanctuary. Like he could walk out onto his doorstep and go anywhere he wants without a fucking care in the world.

And it’s all because Rick started singing a Rush song.

 - - - - -

Well over an hour later, the sun has gone down and Negan and Rick have decided to embark on a nighttime stroll to top off their strangely entertaining post-apocalyptic night out together. It’s odd, how Rick can look like a totally different person at the same time as he appears more himself than ever. He’s walking alongside Negan with Negan’s jacket over his shoulders and a borrowed T-shirt on underneath, and he’s so at peace that, based on Negan’s experiences with him, it looks downright out of character. But he also looks like he’s enjoying the chance to be human for a while. This kind of peace is a rare treasure in the end of the world, and likely even more rare in Rick’s case. But Negan likes this side of him.

He has yet to find a side of Rick he doesn’t like, though.

“So…” Rick starts, hands in the pockets of his still-wet jeans—a big reason their walk is taking place outside. “What now?”

Negan shrugs. “Dunno, Rick. What do you feel like doing now?”

“Well,” Rick ponders briefly, “I feel like goin’ on this walk, and then I should probably head back before people start thinkin’ you killed me.”

“Funny.” Negan is not amused.

“Not a joke.” Despite that, Rick smiles. “But we’re workin’ on that. Anyway, this doesn’t have to be our last date.” The small sideways grin on Rick’s face wipes away any negativity his last words might have generated, and Negan’s stomach does a genuine acrobatic move right the fuck out of his system.

“…You fucking serious?” Negan can’t help the shock in his tone. In reality, the evening has been going far better than Negan expected it to.

“Yep.” Rick nods. “To tell the truth, I feel like there’s so much more I gotta learn about you. You’re not the big hardass you keep tryin’ so much to look like. At the same time, you’re not a very good person either. But neither am I. Neither are a lot of us.”

“See,” Negan grins, “that’s what I like about you, Rick. You’re smart as fuck, and damn perceptive. You’re starting to realize it isn’t all black and white, huh?”

Rick shakes his head. “In some way, I probably always knew, but this was a reminder.”

Again, both men go quiet and just enjoy their walk. The gentle breeze surrounds them, and Negan inhales the fresh smell it brings in. When he lets it out, Rick starts speaking again.

“When I got to Alexandria, I didn’t think my people and I belonged there. I remember fantasizin’ about Carl and Judith havin’ a semi-normal life somewhere and tryin’ real hard to find them somethin’ like that, but when we found it, I saw too much wrong with it. The guards weren’t on watch regularly, and everyone was too calm. It was like they didn’t know they were surrounded by the dead.”

Negan doesn’t exactly know where Rick is going with this, but he listens anyway.

“A woman named Deanna ran the place at the time. She made me the constable. I got my hands on a gun they’d taken away during the whole initiation process—thought it could make us safer. But she thought I was crazy at first. I was, a little. Lost my mind, got put on some kinda trial because of it, and during it all, a man killed her husband.” Rick’s voice falls. “She let me have my gun after that.”

Negan still isn’t sure if he should interject or not, so he continues to listen.

“The point is, I get it. I’ve had to be the asshole too. I know what you’re doin’, and that you think it’s the right thing. I don’t agree with it, but I get why you’re doin’ it.”

One day. One day is all it took. Apparently, Negan just needed to show Rick that he was actually pretty fucking human—that he wasn’t a complete monster. And while Negan still has a ton of shit to work through, this is progress.

“As long as you’re willin’ to hear my people and I out, I’ll keep understanding. If you have enough humility to do that much, you can’t be the enemy forever. At least, not in this world.”

Negan is about to speak, but when a distant crackling sound, almost like gunfire, catches his attention, he stops and looks around.

And that’s when the fireworks light up the sky. Bright oranges and reds and greens illuminate the gravel and structure around them, and when Rick glances at Negan in shock, he mouths back ‘it wasn’t me!’

Negan figures this is one of Simon’s bright ideas though, and decides it’s a good one, and that he should just take it in. He and Rick both seem to have a similar opinion on that, as both men are enjoying their show, their attention drawn up to the sky.

Negan dares to sidle up behind Rick and curl his arms around him from behind. He smells the leather of his jacket, the chlorine in Rick’s hair, and the smoke of the distant light show, and as he exhales the scent, Rick relaxes against him.

Long after the fireworks die off, Negan finally opens his mouth to speak. “So, I gotta ask—you felt it too?”

Rick pauses, playing with Negan’s knuckles. “Pardon?”

“You’re gonna make me fucking spell it out.” Negan grumbles.

“Yep.”

“The tension.” Negan says. “All those times before, when you and I would talk in private. The way you looked at me. The way _I_ looked at _you_. Were those bedroom eyes, or am I out of my fucking skull here?”

There’s another pause. A long pause that makes Negan more uncomfortable than a lot of things. More uncomfortable than Rosita’s stare, or Arat’s wicked aim, or the mental picture of that priest in Alexandria wearing nothing but his necktie and a smile.

But then Rick does something shocking. He pivots in Negan’s grip and looks up at him, and he offers a very pointed stare. It’s the same stare Negan has seen so many times before, all cold blue eyes and flat lips and a clenched jaw. He’s made up of sharp edges and somehow so fucking soft at the same goddamn time.

“Was it anything like this?”

Those words go straight to Negan’s cock. Even wearing wet pants that are still cold from the pool, he can feel himself getting turned on, and just fuck the effect Rick has on him.

“Goddamn, Rick.” Negan growls so deeply that it rattles in his own chest and throat. “You can’t say shit like that. You’re gonna make me want things I’m not sure you’re ready for.”

“You already want them.” Rick reminds, and thank you very fucking much, Rick, for that lovely reminder.

“Rick,” Negan swallows hard, “fucking seriously, man. I mean, I’m already half-raring to go here. But it’s only been one date.”

“I know.” Rick smirks, and Negan’s dick springs straight to life.

“…and you want this.”

“I think so.”

“Rick.”

There actually is a part of Negan who wonders if Rick isn’t just lost in the moment—caught up on feelings. But god, it’d be nice if it was more than that. Negan’s already thinking about how Rick would look on his back with his legs over Negan’s shoulders. Those blue eyes contrasting with flushed skin, hair a sweaty mess, lips wet and swollen and glistening…

But Rick seems to know where Negan’s concerns come from, because he relaxes. He swallows, casts an apologetic glance up at Negan, and then clears his throat. “Okay, maybe not tonight. But I’m gettin’ another date.”

Negan, despite all of his arousal and dirty thoughts, nods in understanding. “Fucking fair enough. This has been a hell of a night—I’ll take a round two.”

“Good.” Rick shrugs. “Ready to take me home?”

 - - - - -

Yep.

Negan knew he should have had someone else take rick back home. He knows he should have gone back to his room and taken his issues out on his dick to the rhythm of the songs he and Rick had been jamming to earlier. He should _not_ have opted to drive Rick himself. Alone. As in, just the two of them.

Now, he can feel Rick’s presence in the passenger’s seat next to him, and the way the other man keeps stealing glances his way. He hears the soft, slick smacking of Rick’s tongue as it wets his lips. He feels Rick shifting around in his seat. With every second of quiet, the tension grows. Even Rick radiates urges, and judging by the way he keeps adjusting himself…

“…When’s the next date?” Negan asks, trying desperately to start up conversation. Rick seems to understand his effort, but sees it as just as awkward as Negan does. Despite that, he manages a response.

“I dunno.” Rick answers robotically. “But probably sooner is better than later, because I’m meltin’ alive over here.”

Negan bites his lip hard and then reaches for the air conditioner switch.

“Negan, no.” Rick catches Negan’s wrist before he can do anything with it. “I mean—”

“I fucking know, Rick.” Negan rumbles, because can Rick seriously not see what he’s doing to him right now? Hell, maybe this is all some kind of ploy. Maybe Rick hasn’t actually warmed up to Negan and is really just trying to blue-ball him straight to Hell. It’s working, Rick. Holy fuck, it’s working.

“I’m serious.” Rick’s words interrupt Negan’s thoughts and come in hard like a fantasy. And when his hand finds Negan’s thigh, Negan realizes he’s not going to be able to focus on driving much longer. He slams on the brakes, stopping the car right in the middle of the road, and turns to gawk at the other man.

“Rick.”

“Stop.” Rick offers Negan a genuine smile as he reaches down and yanks up the parking brake.

Everything happens fluidly from there. As if it was meant to happen, Negan’s hands just _know_ they need to throw the car into Park, and deft fingers dip in front of him, sliding the seat as far back as it will go. Rick crawls into his lap as he turns the vehicle off, and they come together.

Their mouths meet so naturally that it’s like they’ve done this a thousand times. It’s an open-mouthed kiss from the very beginning, and once Negan gets a taste of Rick, he quickly realizes that he wants so much more. His hands are everywhere—in Rick’s hair, up his shirt, along his back. He hisses sharply, hungrily, into the kiss as his nails rake down the flesh of Rick’s back. Rick, seemingly able to perceive the hunger in that gesture alone, lets out a low, pleasant sigh and arches his back. Negan both feels and savors the warmth that comes from the resulting contact.

“Fucking hell, Rick.” Negan growls, open mouth sucking on the skin of the other man’s neck. “You have no fucking idea how sexy you are right now.”

“Shut up, Negan.” Rick’s fingers knot up hard in Negan’s hair as he tugs his mouth away from his neck and meets eyes with Negan’s. “Shut the hell up and kiss me.”

And Negan obliges. He’d be a fucking dumbass to refuse, or even to question it. Rick’s voice right now is the same kind of toxic that comes in alcoholic beverages, and even though things haven’t even started picking up yet, Negan already feels drunk on the whole thing. Rick’s in his lap, hips and stomach and chest slithering as if Negan’s a goddamn snake charmer, and as Negan drags his fingers along the skin beneath Rick’s shirt, he can almost control the way the smaller man’s body arches and twists.

He kisses Rick shamelessly. It doesn’t matter how messy or heated or needy it is to either party, because they’re both too caught up in one another to care. Rick moans into the kiss when Negan brushes a thumb over one of his nipples.

“Oh, that feel good?” Negan chuckles, but the laughter dies in his throat when Rick bites down hard on his lower lip.

“Come _on_ , Negan. Focus.”

You want focus, Rick? Alright, Negan can give you focus. Like how he suddenly focuses both hands on Rick’s chest, or how he focuses the shirt and jacket right off the smaller man’s back, how he focuses one of those nipples into his mouth. He especially focuses on the low groan that falls from Rick’s lips in response to the sensation.

“How’s that for focus?” Negan peers up at Rick as his tongue drags across the other nipple.

“God,” Rick half-laughs, half-moans, “you’re such an asshole.”

“I come by it honest, at least.” Negan tugs his own shirt off, and then gestures out the window with a cock of his head. “Now, I’m gonna be straight-as-fuck-forward with you here, Rick. I want to tear you the fuck apart, and that’s gonna be hard as hell to do in the driver’s seat. Ever had sex on the hood of a car before?”

“Excuse me?” Rick outright laughs.

“You heard me.” Negan licks his lips. “You’re about to enter a world of fucking discovery with me, baby. One that puts Aladdin to shame.”

He can tell Rick’s about to silence him again, so he deftly unlocks the driver’s side door and kicks it open. In a display of strength and maneuverability, he carries Rick right to the hood of the car and plops him down atop it. It’s still a little warm from driving, but not too bad.

“Undo your pants, babe.” Negan urges as he slips out of his own, dropping still-damp pants and still-damp underwear all in one move. He’s sure Rick can see just how hot for him he is now.

Rick stares for a moment, and Negan sees how his eyes don’t linger in any one spot. They start at Negan’s chest, and then drift downward to his abdomen, waist, groin, and all the way back up again, settling at his eyes. Negan’s a glutton for attention, so he naturally drinks this kind of stare right up. However, he doesn’t speak this time. He’s too focused on waiting for Rick to obey his request.

Which he does. His mouth hangs open as he works open his belt and jeans, and then arches his hips and pushes them and the underwear down.

Negan may not have been expecting to get laid tonight, but he always comes prepared. He digs a bottle from his pants pocket and then rights himself just as Rick scoots back onto the hood of the car.

Rick’s expression is strange. He’s curious and cautious and maybe a little nervous all at the same time, and seeing that brings to Negan’s attention the fact that he’s probably putting his first ever amount of trust into Negan here. He’s letting Negan take the reins, and maybe it’s some sort of test or maybe it’s because he doesn’t really know what he’s doing, but it’s flattering all the same.

That’s why when Negan moves in, he does so carefully. He gently pushes rick onto his back and then crawls atop him. Rick grits his teeth a little, and then laughs gruffly.

“The hood’s kinda hot.”

“You okay?” Negan laughs too.

“M’fine.” Rick nods. “It doesn’t hurt. Keep goin’.”

“You got it.” Negan snatches himself another quick kiss, before his lips migrate to Rick’s jaw. “Spread your legs.”

Rick does so, and once Negan has two fingers slicked up with lube, he slides them down between the man’s legs and to his entrance, carefully pushing one inside. Rick tenses a little, but doesn’t pull away.

Negan nips appreciatively at the side of his partner’s neck, and when Rick releases a pleasant sigh, he smiles against the man’s skin.

“You’re gonna be tight as fuck once I get to fucking you.” Negan purrs, and Rick snorts.

“It’s useless to tell you to shut up, isn’t it?” The Alexandria leader teases as Negan pushes in a second finger. His breath catches when Negan’s fingers start spreading and curling inside him.

“What?” Negan questions back. “Never heard of dirty talk? Don’t be a funsucker, Rick.”

“Sure I have.” Rick retorts, but only after a second of gathering his breath. “Yours is a brand I gotta get used to, though.”

When Negan feels the bundle of muscle inside Rick that he’s been seeking out, he grins to himself. “Good luck with that. I’m full of surprises.”

And then he’s rubbing that spot repeatedly, and Rick’s mouth is falling open. Negan delights in the way Rick’s hands start groping around for leverage, failing against the car and finally moving to clamp tightly around Negan’s back. His nails dig into the skin over Negan’s shoulder blades, and Negan’s so turned on already that he damn near comes on the spot.

Rick is apparently at a loss for words, and Negan can feel him dripping against his abdomen, so he withdraws his fingers. When doing so actually makes Rick _whimper_ , he has to swallow down the urge to lose it all over again, but he somehow keeps himself in check.

“Negan.” Rick’s voice is somewhere between demanding and pleading, and as Negan slicks his cock up with lube, it doesn’t take a genius to tell that Rick is ready for the next step. Despite that, as he hefts Rick’s legs up over his shoulders, he meets those blue eyes with his own.

Rick just nods and then Negan mirrors it, as if to say ‘here goes’.

Negan’s right. Rick is definitely tight. As he slowly works his way in, he’s met with a friction so intense that he’s going slow for himself as much as Rick. He goes too fast and he might lose his damn mind.

But after some time, he’s all the way in, and peering down at Rick again.

“You alright?” He asks.

“Yeah.” Rick has his hands planted on either side of his body, and with some effort, he actually starts moving before Negan does.

Because Rick never fails to blow Negan’s mind. Even now, Negan is trying to process that Rick is really letting this happen—that he _wants_ it. That he isn’t totally disgusted with Negan’s presence. But nope, he’s really here. He’s really rocking his hips and panting and moaning like he fucking _belongs_ here, and if Negan wasn’t so goddamned stimulated right now, he would be flattered.

“Rick, you’re fucking amazing.” Negan moans as he starts moving to meet Rick’s own motions. “You should see yourself right now.”

Rick doesn’t speak this time, but his actions do plenty of speaking for him. Each time Negan pushes all the way in and his hips meet Rick’s, his eyebrows furrow and his lips part and he gasps and moans and shows Negan in every way he can that he feels it, and it’s _good_.

And for a few moments, Negan gets lost in that. He moves almost methodically as he takes in the sight before him, drinking it up. Rick is that flushed mess Negan had fantasized about, and it’s better than any mental image he could ever hope to formulate.

But after a few moments, Negan decides to show Rick just how good it can really get. He angles his hips, and after a few pointed thrusts, strikes Rick’s prostate dead-on.

Negan swears he sees Rick’s eyes roll back into his skull.

“Fuck!” Rick moans, before he looks right into Negan’s eyes. “Do that again. Hard.”

And Negan does. Even through the thick haze of his own immense pleasure, he picks up the pace, snaps his hips forward a little more violently. From there, they devolve into wordless messes. Even Negan is beyond words as the sensations mount and heat and friction start to build. He curses and groans right along with Rick clear until the smaller man grunts loudly and comes apart beneath him. The heat of his climax and the spasms of his body pull Negan right over the edge with him, and soon, they’re both just panting and shaking and all shades of spent.

Negan kisses Rick lazily, slowly, and then pulls out. Rick just laughs. 

“…Now, you can take me home.”

 - - - - -

Alexandria’s gate towers over the vehicle Negan used to bring Rick home, but even here, it’s easy to see Gabriel standing watch up top. Negan frowns.

“Don’t suppose I get a kiss goodbye?”

“Not yet.” Rick shakes his head. “Figure I should probably give them some time to process _you_ before makin’ them process _us_ , y’know?”

“Yeah, yeah, I fucking get it.” Negan claps a hand over Rick’s. “Two days, by the way.”

“Hmm?”

“Our next date.” Negan tries. “Or is that too early? Three?”

“You don’t even sound like yourself right now.” Rick rolls his eyes, clearly amused. “Two is fine. Next one will be here, so we can talk.”

“Alright, it’s a fucking deal. Thanks for giving this one a shot, Rick.”

Rick just rolls his shoulders. “I’ll see you in a couple of days, Negan.”

And then, he’s off. Alexandria’s gate slides open, and Rick disappears inside.

It’s gonna be a long-ass two days.


End file.
